Cdedi has added its voice on the protracted war between government and Teachers’ Union of Malawi (TUM) over Covid-19 risk allowances saying government has itself to blame for reckless splashing out cash in the name of cash transfer, arguing that this has created an impression that the government has enough money in its coffers.
Cdedi Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa says CDEDI’s position on the stand off is simple and straight forward in the sense that Teaching was already classified by the Presidential Task force on the Covid-19 pandemic in July 2020, as a profession that is at risk.
He wonders why government deliberately chose to disregard such a recommendation which classified teaching as one of the professions that were at risk.
“CDEDI has learnt with shock, the news that the Malawi government is giving out MK70, 000 each to some individuals in the country’s cities and towns, as a cash transfer mechanism to vulnerable households. The criteria of selecting such vulnerable households, however, has not been made public.
“CDEDI has been made to believe that such underhand tendencies of splashing out cash is an indication that government has enough money in its coffers for the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, hence our demand to end the current standoff between the teachers and government by giving the teachers the risk allowances,” emphasizes Namiwa.
Meanwhile, CDEDI has challenged President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera to come out publicly and inform Malawians on the criteria the government is using to identify the beneficiaries in the current social cash transfer, which is meant as a cushion measure for the Covid-19 pandemic, and declare publicly where the funds have been sourced from.
Namiwa warns that should the current standoff between the teachers and the government remain unresolved by Wednesday, March 10, 2021, CDEDI will be forced to lead Malawians of goodwill, whose children’s basic right to education is being violated, and all Malawians that are sympathizing with our children who go to public schools, to come out in their large numbers and join a nationwide solidarity march to add voices to the teachers’ demands for risk allowances so that our children should go back to class.
“It is surprising, therefore, to note that government has put its foot down, and has sworn never to give the teachers the risk allowances, and yet the same government is currently busy splashing out money to some individuals, in the name of Covid-19 cushion measures,” he said.
